ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) cleared on Thursday six development projects worth Rs177.4 billion, including a foreign exchange component of Rs126.6bn.

The CDWP also cleared the construction of infrastructure for the 6600MW Gadani Power Park project in Balochistan at a cost of Rs144.6bn and recommended its formal approval by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec).

About 15 per cent of the project’s finances would be provided by the federal government while the remaining 85pc cost would be met through debt financing. The project aims to develop infrastructure at the Pakistan Power Park at Gadani, where 10 coal-fired power generation projects of 660MW each will be installed.

Chairing the CDWP meeting, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal asked the ministries to conduct a proper evaluation of the entire value chain of various development projects before their launch.

The meeting also recommended the Rs27bn Greater Karachi Water Supply Scheme K-IV for Ecnec approval.

Mr Iqbal said that in this project, the financial share of the federal government had been raised from one-third to half, in accordance with the prime minister’s commitment during a recent visit to Karachi.

He voiced concern over efficacy of the waste management system in Karachi, saying that solid waste was being dumped into the sea, creating environmental and health hazards. The CDWP approved the project on the condition that any rise in cost would be borne by the provincial government.

The meeting also approved the Kala Dhaka (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Area Development Project at an estimated cost of Rs1.7bn and the Khyber Area Development Project worth Rs1.235bn.

The CDWP also approved the construction of a 50-bed hospital, including hostels and other equipment at Pasni at an estimated cost of Rs441 million.

A Rs244m project for the Red Chilli Processing Centre in Sindh was approved at the request of the Ministry of Industries and Production. The centre will be located in Umerkot and seeks to incorporate innovative drying techniques to reduce the moisture content of fresh chilies and refine the process of dehydrating onions and garlic.

The meeting also approved the Balochistan’s nutrition programme for mothers and children, worth Rs1.49bn.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2014